Axle box



Oct. 15, 1935. F. J. PASCOE 2,017,731

AXLE BOX Filed May 7, 1934 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 A, Ziarne F. J. PASCOE Oct.15, 1935.

AXLE BOX 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 7, 1934 fizvanior "/93, f (1c. WMPM, i: a me .4.

Oct. 15, 1935. v F. J. PASCOE 2,017,731

AXLE BOX Filed May 7, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 vezzfor v F Mm do y XQ IZiorneyx F. J. PASCOE Oct. 15, 1935.

AXLE BOX 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed May 7, 1954 Patented Oct. l5, 1935 ATENTOFFICE AXLE BOX Frederick John Pascoe, London,

England, as-

signor to The Timken Roller Bearing Company,

Canton, Ohio,

a corporation of Ohio Application May 7, 1934, Serial No. 724,253 InGreat Britain July 8, 1933 '1 Claims.

This invention relates to railway and like vehicle axle-boxes embodyingroller or other bearings through the medium of which the body of thevehicle is supported upon the wheel axle.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide an improvedconstruction of axle-box which will enable the axle to be removed fromthe vehicle, and the wheel-tyres re-contoured, without removing thebearings from the axle or disturbing the said bearings in any way, andwhich will facilitate the re-tyring of the wheels.

A further object is to enable the outer bearing race or races to beadjusted angularly from time to time so as to obtain a more uniformdistribution of wear on the said races.

Another object is to enable worn exterior parts of the axle-box, such asthe horn guides or their liners, to be more readily replaced.

According to the invention, an axle-box comprises two axially-separableparts, namely, an inner sleeve or housing containing a bearing assemblyand forming therewith a self-contained unit adapted to be mounted on theaxle, and an outer casing or housing (which may carry the spring seat,horn guides and other parts) containing the inner sleeve or housing andadapted to be mounted in or upon the vehicle underframe; the said outerhousing being removable from the inner housing in an axial directionwhile the said inner housing remains upon the axle, and being adapted tobe detachably secured thereto. By this construction the axle with theinner housings and bearings mounted thereon can be bodily removed fromthe outer housings, and can be put into a wheel lathe as a unit, the.bearing housings being held to the face plate by collets. The innerhousing is preferably provided at its I inner end with a flange or withlugs adapted to engage with the inner end of the outer casing and to bedetachably secured} thereto, as by screws, studs or bolts.

Figure l of the accompanying drawings is a longitudinally verticalsection of a railway vehicle axle-box in accordance with the presentinvention, the same being shown mounted upon an axle.

Figure 2 is a section through the axle on line 22, Figure 1, showing theaxle-box in end elevation.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary section on line 3--3, Figure 2, showing howthe inner enclosure plate or cap of the bearing housing is secured.

Figure 4 is a section on line 4-4, Figure 2,

showing how the inner housing is secured to the outer housing.

Figure 5 is a plan of the axle-box,

- may, in the case of an electric Figure 6 represents a cross-sectionthrough the axle-box on line 6-6, Figure 1.

Referring to the said drawings, the axle-box comprises essentially twoseparable parts, namely, an outer sleeve or housing I and an innersleeve or tubular housing 2, closely fitting within the bore of theouter housing, being adapted to be inserted in an axial direction fromthe inner side of the said outer member and being removable inthereverse direction. The outer housing I 10 is mounted within the usualhorn plates or horn blocks of the vehicle frame for vertical-movementtherein, for which purpose it carries at opposite sides the verticalhorn guides 3 with their wear plates or liners 4 attached thereto, suchas by screws, rivets or by welding. It also carries, at the top, theusual seat .5 for the accommodation of the vehicle springs, and upon itsunderside it vehicle, carry a depending bracket 6 for the attachment ofthe slipper beam.

The inner housing 2 encloses the bearings through the medium of whichthe vehicle is mounted upon the wheel axle I, the said housing and thebearings forming a self-contained unit. Thus,

in the example represented, the housing 2 contains two laterally-spacedsets of taper roller bearings each comprising rollers 8 running betweenan inner race member or cone 9 secured upon the axle and an outer racemember or cup I0 closely fitted within the interior of the. housing, thetwo inner race members 9 being separated by a distance 'or spacing ringH, and the two outer members I0 being separated bya distance or spacingring l2. A nut I screwed on to the end of the axle I secured the cones 9upon the axle, the innermost or rear cone abutting against a flangedabutment ring l3 engaging a shoulder on the axle. The housing 2 has aninternal shoulder l4 engaging the forward or outer- 40 most cup III,while the rear cup is engaged by a spigot flange l5 of an enclosurecover l6 closing theinner or rear end of the housing. This cover l6closely fits upon the abutment ring l3 to retain .the lubricant withinthe housing, being provided with grooves or other lubricant retainingmeans. The said cover It is provided with an outer flange I I1 securedto the face of an exterior flange l8 on t the adjacent inner end of thehousing 2 by a circular series of studs or screws l9.- The said 5 flangel8 of housing 2 serves as a stop flange engaging the inner end of theouter housing I, and

it is secured to lugs 20 on the said outer housing by means of nuts 2|on four studs 2| set at apart, said studs being screwed into the lugs 205 and passing through both flanges l1, l8 (see Figures 2 and 4). Each ofthe nuts 2| together with two adjacent studs i9, may be locked by acommon locking plate 22 having parts of its edge bent up against thefacets of the said nut and studs. The flanges l1, [8, may be provided atdiametrically opposite points, with withdrawal lugs 23 between which asuitable withdrawal tool may be applied to facilitate the removal of theenclosure cover Hi from the housing 2 when it is desired to dismantle orinspect the bearings. The outer end of the housing 2 may be providedwith the usual removable cover 24.

When the wheel tyres require to be re-contoure'd or the wheels re-tyred,the entire axle-boxes are taken out of the vehicle underframe. The nuts2| are then removed, and the inner housings 2 can be withdrawn from theouter housings i by a relative endwise movement, the said inner housings2 and bearings remaining intact upon the ends of the axle. This axle andbearing assembly unit can then be put into a wheel lathe for there-contouring of the tyres, the bearing housings 2 being mounted andheld in the face plates of the lathe by means of collets, the mountingbeing such that no end play between the axle and housings 2 is possible,and the axle itself being rotated by suitable driving means. In this waythe axle ends will be' supported rigidly, and it will not be necessaryto remove the outer cover 24 and expose the bearings, as would be thecase if the axle were supported between the lathe centres.

For the re-tyring of the wheels, the housing 2 at one end of the axlecan be conveniently held during the operation.

The employment of a two-part axle-box as hereinbefore described admitsof the inner housing 2 being turned from time to time into differentangular positions so as to obtain a more uniform distribution of wear onthe outer races of the bearings. Thus, in the arrangement described, theinner housing 2 can take four different angular positions in relation tothe outer housing I. For making each adjustment, the nuts 2 l areremoved and the inner housing moved endwise to disengage the studs 2landthen rotated within the outer housing for a quarter turn to bring eachset of stud holes in the flanges l1, l8, opposite to another lug 20 onthe outer housing, the nuts being then replaced. In order to indicatefor how long the inner housing has been in one position, the outer endpart of the said housing is provided around its periphery with fourfaced lugs or bosses 25 'at 90 apart, and which are brought, in turn,opposite to an indicating marking 26 on the outer edge of the exteriorhousing After changing the position of the inner housing the date isstamped on the lug 25 which is opposite to the indicator marking 26. Assubsequent changes in position are made. a new date is stamped onanother lug 25 the previous date being cancelled.

In addition to the four positions of the outer races Ill which areobtainable as above described, four further and intermediate positionsof the said races may be obtained by turning the said races within thehousing 2 through 45, and'subsequently' turning the housing 2 within theouter housing I for each adjustment as previously described. To give adate record of these further adjustments a second set of faced lugs orbosses 21 may be provided adjacent the lugs 25.

Instead of the innerhousing having a continuous external flange, it maybe provided with lugs which would otherwise be necessary in removing theworn welded liners and welding new liners in their place.

It may also be possible for an axle manufacturer to standardize the sizeof the inner housings 2 to suit standard sizes of outer housings, andthus be able to supply from stock axles and bearing housing unitssuitable for use with outer housings having horn guides, spring seatingsor the I like of any size or design.

Having fully described my invention, what I desire to claim and secureby Letters Patent is:--

1. An axle-box comprising a bearing assembly, an inner housingcontaining the bearing assembly and forming therewith a self-containedunit adapted to be mounted upon an axle, an outer housing containing theinner housing and adapted for mounting upon a vehicle underframe, anexternal flange on theinner end of the inner housing engaging the innerend of the outer housing, and means for detachably securing said flangeto the outer housing; the said outer housing being removable from theinner housing and wheel axle in an outward axial direction while thesaid inner housing and bearing assembly I remain upon the axle.

ing, and detachable screw'fasteningdevices passing through the flange ofthe inner housing for securing said flange to the said outer housing;

the said outer housing being removable from the inner housing in anaxial direction while the said inner housing and bearing assembly remainupon the axle.

3. An axle-box comprising a bearing assembly,

an inner circular housing containing the bearing assembly and formingtherewith a self-contained unit adapted to be mounted upon an axle, anouter housing adapted for mounting upon a vehicle underframe and havinga circular bore containing the inner housing the latter being rotatablewithin said bore,'an external flange on the inner end of the innerhousing engaging the inner end of the outer housing, and detachablescrew fastening devices passing through the flange of the inner housingfor securing said flange to the outer housing; said screw fasteningdevices being spaced peripherally at equal distances apart to admit ofthe inner housing being turned into different angular positions inrelation to the outer housing and being secured in such positions, andthe said outer housing an inner circular housing containing the bearingassembly and forming therewith a self-contained unit adapted to bemounted upon an axle, an outer housing adapted for mountingupon avehicle underframe and having a circular bore containing the innerrotatable within said bore, an annular external flange on the inner endof the inner housing engaging the inner end of the outer housing,detachable screw fastening devices passing through the flange of theinner housing for securing said and being so posiflange to the outerhousing I tioned to admit of the inner housing being turned into aplurality of diilerent angular positions in relation to the outerhousing and being secured in such positions, outer end of the outerhousing, and a plurality of peripherally-spaced lugs on the outer end ofthe inner housing one or other of which is adapted, when the saidhousing is turned into different angular positions, to come opposite tothe indicating device upon the outer housing, the said lugs havingsurfaces suitable to bear a date indication, the said outer housingbeing removable from the inner housing and, wheel axle in an outwardaxial direction, while the inner housing remains on the axle.

5. An axle-box comprising an inner housing,

roller bearings consisting of rollers and innerand outer race membersmounted within the housing, means provided upon the housing forretaining the bearings within the said housing in the axial directionthereof, an outer housing adapted for mounting upon a vehicleunderframe, an external flange on the inner end of the inner housingengaging the inner end of the outer housing, and means for detachablysecuring said flange to the outer housing; the said outer housing beingremovable from the inner housing in an axial direction while the saidinner housing and bearing assembly remain upon the axle.

6. An axle-box comprising a bearing assembly, an inner circular housingcontaining the bearing assembly and forming therewith a self-containedunit adapted to be mounted upon an axle, an outer housing adapted formounting upon a vehousing the latter being an indicating device on thehicle underframe and having a circular bore containing the inner housingthe latter being rotatable within said bore, an annular external flangeon the inner end of the inner housing engaging the inner end of theouter housing, de- 5 tachable screw fastening devices passing throughthe flange of the inner housing for securing said flange to the outerhousing and being so positioned to admit of the-inner housing beingturned into a plurality of diflerent angular positions in relation tothe outer housing and being secured in such positions, an indicatingdevice on the outer end of the outer housing, and a plurality of lugs,spaced peripherally at equal distances apart, on the outer end of theinner housing, one or other of which is adapted, when the said housingis turned into different angular positions, to come opposite to theindicating device upon the outer housing, the said lugs having surfacessuitable to bear a date indication, the said outer housing beingremovable from the inner housing and wheel axle inan outward axialdirection, while the inner housing remains on the axle.

7. An axle-box comprising a bearing assembly, an inner housingcontaining the bearing assembly and forming therewith a self-containedunit adapted to be mounted upon an axle, an outer housing containing theinner housing and adapted for mounting upon a vehicle under-frame, an

external flange on the inner end of the inner housing engaging the innerend of the outer housing, a flanged end cover-plate enclosing the innerend of the inner housing, detachable screw fastening devices securingthe end-cover-plate to the inner housing and detachable screw fasteningdevices passing through the flanges of the end cover-plate and innerhousing and engaging holes in the outer housing; the said outer housingbeing removable from the inner housing and from the wheel axle in anoutward axial direction 40 while the said inner housing and bearingassembly remain upon the axle with said inner housing secured'to the endcover-plate.

FREDERICK JOHN nascent 5

